State Park
-
Hocking Hills State Park- Logan, OH
Chances are, if you are not from Ohio, you have not heard of Hocking Hills State Park. Virtually unknown outside the Buckeye State, it is a mossy, lush wonderland, with dramatic rock formations and impressive waterfalls. Much like Ithaca, it is absolutely Gorges. Consisting of several discrete park areas, many of them connected by hiking trails, it is the perfect weekend destination. Start the day early at Ash Cave, where a short but scenic hemlock lined path leads directly to the eponymous rock formation, the state’s largest recess cave. Rising 90 feet above the valley floor, the horseshoe shaped cave is an impressive 700 feet long, and 100 feet deep; a…
-
Diamond Head Summit Trail- Oahu, HI
Diamond Head is without a doubt one of the most recognizable volcanic cones in the world. Visible from any point on Waikiki Beach, it’s profile is the very image of paradise. As scenic as it is from the beach, it only gets better from the summit. You must however get to the trailhead by dawn; any later, the trail transforms into a slow moving mass of humanity, and is just about as fun as a subway at rush hour. The trail to the summit was constructed in 1908, for the practical purpose of coastal defense. Batteries were placed along the summit, some with a 360 degree field of fire, to…
-
Watkins Glen State Park- Watkins Glen, NY
I am conflicted about Watkins Glen. Without question, it is absolutely stunning. It is an absolute embarrassment of natural beauty; the geology and hydrology is fascinating. It is also obscenely crowded. Quite possibly the most crowded park I have ever visited, including the big national parks that everyone complains about being overcrowded. We arrived at opening, which did not help much. A crushing river of people, working their way up and down slippery steps, through dark tunnels. It was a very slow moving mass of humanity. That said, the park has 19 waterfalls, and is a geologic wonder, so you should absolutely still visit. The gorge trail is by far…
-
Robert H. Treman State Park- Ithaca, NY
As discussed in previous posts, Ithaca is truly and absolutely gorges. A town filled with seriously beautiful, stunning gorges, and hundreds of waterfalls. No exaggeration. Robert H. Treman State Park is home to a handful of these beauties, as well as some of the most dramatic scenery you will see in the United States. Again, no exaggeration. Robert H. Treman was born into a prominent Ithaca family in 1858, and of course went on to attend Cornell University. After graduation, he joined the family hardware business, growing it from a small regional company to a large corporation. The family also owned several other businesses, including an iron foundry, water works,…
-
Spring Mountain Ranch SP- Blue Diamond, NV
History is hard to come by in the greater Las Vegas area, unless you know where to look. Not too far from the crazy is an oasis of calm. An oasis of history. An actual oasis. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, located adjacent to the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, offers a welcome respite from the surrounding desert, as well as a window into the region’s past.
